Even though the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) stated that electricity tariffs will be revised next month (October), concerns have been raised about potential challenges in implementing the revision due to the absence of members in the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

Secretary to the Power and Energy Ministry Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena told The Daily Morning on Wednesday (4) that the CEB is currently assessing the necessary data for the upcoming electricity tariff revision, but did not specify the month in which it will take place. When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (5), CEB General Manager Dr. Narendra de Silva said that there would be an electricity tariff revision in October. However, he said that a proposal seeking the PUCSL's approval for it is yet to be submitted.

However, the Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA) stated that it would be impossible to revise electricity tariffs in October as the PUCSL is currently operating without members. 

“It's not possible to implement a tariff revision all of a sudden. There is a time consuming process. The PUCSL members should study that proposal and if there is anything problematic, they should direct the CEB to rectify such and resend the proposal. Then, they should hold a public consultation on the CEB's proposal. It is after all these steps can a tariff revision be implemented.”

Established under the PUCSL Act, No. 35 of 2002, the PUCSL is the economic, technical, and safety regulator of the electricity, petroleum, and water services industries. The PUCSL has also been assigned as the shadow regulator for the lubricant market in Sri Lanka.

The terms of the former PUCSL's former Chairperson Prof. Manjula Fernando, Deputy Chairperson Chathurika Wijesinghe, and Members Douglas Nanayakkara, Sellampola Gedara Senarathna, and Ranjith Kaluthanthrige ended on 17 July. In response to a query by The Daily Morning as to whether the appointment of Members for the PUCSL would take place sometime soon, Chairperson of the Constitutional Council and Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana recently said that there was no such preparation at the time.